Roots of Treachery
by Current Rainbow
Summary: A medicine cat's heartbreak transform into something much more deadly.
1. Chapter 1

I don't actually like Warriors very much anymore, but I like to write nevertheless. This is sort of just to help me get into the mode of writing for my other fanfic, but if people like it maybe I'll do a few more chapters. It's about a corrupt medicine cat, because um, we needed an evil one :) It's set in a futuristic ThunderClan, so don't expect to see any characters you'll recognize. Basically Lilyleaf, the medicine cat of ThunderClan and ThunderClan warrior Redfeather were once in love, but they decided to discontinue their forbidden relationship because they both wanted different futures. Now, Redfeather approaches Lilyleaf with some "exciting" news . . .

They're short chapters, so please review!

I don't own Warriors, they belong to Erin Hunter, blahblahblah

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_Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering_

"Redfeather." Lilyleaf breathed in the tom's name as he approached and leaned forward to touch noses with her. His yellow eyes locked with her own violet ones and she felt herself smile. It was like the pain of the day washed away at his gentle touch.

_Of course it would. He's my best friend._

Lilyleaf sighed to herself. She knew as much as he did that Redfeather was so much more than that. She had loved him; part of her still did. But they'd made their choices and decided that what really was important was her role as a medicine cat, and his as a warrior of the clan. Lilyleaf knew that Redfeather had high hopes of leading ThunderClan some day, they'd talk about it all the time under the willow tree together. She would laugh as he'd tease her about working double time to collect all the herbs in the forest. Those were the happy memories. Those were the happy times.

Now it was completely different. They still had a close bond, but it was no longer that unbreakable love Lilyleaf used to be captivated in. She only could wonder what he wanted to talk about now—he'd asked her privately to meet her by the lake.

"Yeah—so Lilyleaf, I was wanting to talk to you—it's about something really important, actually . . . I wasn't sure if I should tell you or not, but then again, I couldn't dream of another cat to share this sort of news with." Redfeather fumbled over his words clumsily, Lilyleaf realized, he was especially nervous. Hope pricked on her pelt "Of course you can tell me Redfeather!" Lilyleaf felt herself begin to laugh as her face broke into an even larger smile "You can tell me anything!"

"You're sure—anything?"

"Positive. Anything in the whole four clans." Lilyleaf purred, hope prickling her pelt.

"Well, okay." Sheepishly Redfeather ducked his reddish-brown head, his yellow eyes peeking up at Lilyleaf. Happiness, nervousness, pride all shone in them from every corner in every way. Lilyleaf could barely stand the wait for his news.

"Do you know the RiverClan warrior, Frostwind? She's a gray tabby, light blue eyes and a really light voice…" Redfeather trailed off.

Lilyleaf blinked, rather confused. "Er, yeah. I've seen her at Gatherings, I've never actually _spoken_ to her, but I know she exists—"

Redfeather broke into a grin. "That's good enough—well, she's what I've been meaning to talk to you about. It's that, well, I sorta…"

Lilyleaf propped her head on her paw. "Well, what? Common Redfeather, you've got to tell me now!" She insisted, tapped his head with her tail. Honestly, she wasn't sure where this was going. Maybe Frostwind had made a hilarious scene during a border patrol that he'd seen, or maybe she was a long lost cousin. Perhaps even she was secretly an undercover cat for ShadowClan!

Redfeather still didn't respond, the grin still prominent on his face. "Redfeather, please! I wouldn't tell a soul. You know me." Lilyleaf made her voice soften for a moment, to hide her excitement and curiosity.

Redfeather lifted his head and looked at her, tilting his head to the side the slightest bit. After several seconds more, he nodded. "I know you."

"Then go ahead. I'm all ears."

Redfeather took a steady deep breath "She's expecting my kits." He smiled, beaming.


	2. Chapter 2

_Broken heart again. Another lesson learned. Better know your friends. Or you will get burned._

A rush of blood ran straight to Lilyleaf's head that nearly knocked her off her paws. But they were so numb that they seemed to keep her up, and her body seemed so frozen that she _was_ frozen sitting there, head propped up on her paw.

_Wh—wha—what?_

"Lillyleaf? Lillyleaf, are you okay?" Redfeather blinked with concern, nudging her ear.

Lillyleaf couldn't hear him at all. And she was definitely not okay. The tom that she'd loved more than anything—_anything_ she'd ever known had fallen for another. After he'd PROMISED, promised to HER that it was for the best that they shouldn't run away together, to stay by the code.

And she couldn't downplay what Redfeather just had said. What else could he mean by fathering another she-cat's kits? To give more warriors to RiverClan? Of course not. Sadness she'd never felt before, pain she'd never known bubbled in her heart. An in all the oddity, she felt herself smile.

"Wow. Wow, Redfeather. That's, that's so wonderful." Lilyleaf's voice cracked on the word wonderful, as she felt herself shake. Redfeather's concern deepened. "Lily, really, are you alright? Honestly, I don't know how you'd take this—"

"Take it? Oh, I'm taking it fine!" Lilyleaf's voice was cheerfully shrill. "It's such fantastic news, Redfeather you'll be a father and, and you'll have kits . . ."

"Yeah." Redfeather smiled at this, though he still looked unconvinced. He leaned down,

"I know that—that that could have been something we wanted, but it was a long time ago. And I know I can make it work with Silverwind, I really do. We think we can figure something out, make some sacrifices . . ."

"Definitely. I mean, you've got to. You don't really have a choice now, do you?" Lilyleaf let out a short high pitched laugh and then fell silent, trembling.

"Um, are you sure you're okay?" Redfeather frowned, knowing this wasn't typical for her.

"One hundred and ten percent sure." Lilyleaf swallowed.

"If you say so—I just couldn't hold it in any longer, you know?"

Lilyleaf nodded vigorously.

Seconds passed while the two cats sat in silence, both looking at the ground, until Lilyleaf perked her head up "Well, I actually did need to check what herbs I'm low on. So I'm going to go do that now. Goodbye. I'll talk to you later Redfeather. Congratulations." The medicine cat mewed quickly, in flash getting to her paws. Redfeather half smiled "Alright then. Try not to inhale too much dust in that den, 'kay?"

Lilyleaf let out an emotionless laugh and bounded away. Tears burst from her eyes as she left Redfeather behind, they rolled down her face uncontrollably. Sobs wracked her throat and she picked up speed. No cat noticed her crying as she disappeared into the darkness of her own den. She let the blackness engulf her along with her heartbreak.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

_Revenge is a confession of pain_

Violet eyes opened groggily to see a strange setting around her. Lilyleaf found herself curled up in a ball on a pile of cold leaves. She slowly lifted her head, expecting to see the walls and herbs of her den surrounding her. Instead there were trees-giant bare trees-and snow on the ground. This wasn't the medicine den . . .

Getting to her paws, Lilyleaf shivered at the cold wind that blew past. She couldn't remember much of anything, except that she thought she'd fallen asleep warm in her den. Apparently this wasn't the case. Taking a few steps forward slowly, she cautiously let out a meow.  
"Hello? Can anyone hear me?"

Almost immediately after she'd spoken those words, she heard a laugh come from behind her. Lilyleaf spun around, but there was no one there. The laughter arose again from the same direction. Lilyleaf knew that laugh-it was Redfeather!

Rushing into the woods in the direction of the laugh, Lilyleaf bounded determinedly. Redfeather would know where they were!

Suddenly a second laugh stopped her cold. This one was a sound Lilyleaf didn't recognize, followed by a quiet voice. Creeping forward, Lilyleaf peered between some shrubbery, and was horrified at what she saw.

Redfeather was curled up with a gray tabby she-cat, the two of them pressing their muzzles against one anothers. Redfeather was talking animatedly and the two would both break out laughing adoringly at each other. A sob arose in Lilyleaf's throat. The events of the previous day came rushing back to her. That must be Frostwind. Lilyleaf could smell RiverClan as well as ThunderClan.

Suddenly without warning, Frostwind let out a gasp and seemed to crumple over. Startled, Lilyleaf took a step back, rustling the bush she was hiding in. Redfeather's two yellow eyes spotted her and drilled into her, his mouth open in a mask of fear.

Lilyleaf awoke with a start. She found herself comfortable and snug in her nest, inside the medicine den. But yet she still felt cold on the inside. A certain numbness had been placed in her heart. She let out an uneven breath and relief it had all been a dream-but it hadn't been. Redfeather still loved Frostwind-that's when the wave of anger smashed into Lilyleaf like a raging monster.

She and Redfeather _belonged_ together. They always had and always would. She wasn't about to let some RiverClan queen take him away from her. Both of them would pay, Lilyleaf thought, and she flexed her claws. She'd see to that.


End file.
